The knockout stages are about to get under way and we’ve got a great Champions League round of 16 preview, with eight group winners pitted against eight runners-up. We have analysed every team left in Europe’s elite club competition to predict how each tie might unfold.
Real Madrid are hot favourites to give Europe a 10th straight success in the FIFA Club World Cup and can start out by beating Al Ahly. The Whites were responsible for four of those past triumphs and have always relished playing on such a big stage with silverware up for grabs.
Brazilian giants Flamengo are expected to prove too strong for Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals in Morocco. These same teams met at this stage in 2019, when the South American outfit came from behind to prevail 3-1 in Qatar.
Liverpool should travel to Brighton for Sunday’s televised FA Cup fourth-round tie fully fired up on two fronts. The Reds are determined to retain the trophy they won last term and will also be eyeing revenge for a recent 3-0 Premier League drubbing at this venue.
Wrexham and Sheffield United are both on course for promotion from their respective divisions but put those ambitions on hold as they meet in the FA Cup fourth round. Wrexham are three points clear at the top of the National League while United are second in the Championship.
Derby head into Monday night’s FA Cup clash with West Ham in great spirits and will fancy their chances of being competitive. The Rams hammered Barnsley 3-0 in the last round and are on a 19-match unbeaten run in all competitions, including a stalemate at Liverpool in the EFL Cup.
Accrington only booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round on Tuesday night so have had little time to prepare for the visit of Premier League side Leeds. To make matters worse, Stanley needed extra time to get past National League outfit Boreham Wood so the quick turnaround will do them no favours.
Antonio Conte doesn’t tend to take too many chances with the strength of his FA Cup selections, so Tottenham should be too good for Preston. The Italian lifted this trophy when in charge of Chelsea and is expected to target another decent run with Spurs this season.
Man Utd have all but booked one trip to Wembley this season in the EFL Cup and can march on in the FA Cup by easing past Reading. These teams have met twice in this competition since the Royals were last a Premier League club, with United prevailing 4-0 in 2017 and 2-0 four years ago.
Leeds showed they are up for the FA Cup when rallying late on at Cardiff and the fourth-round draw has provided them with more incentive. The winners of this replay will visit Accrington or Boreham Wood, so we reckon the Whites should be eyeing a good run this season.
Arsenal begin their quest for a record-extending 15th FA Cup triumph by visiting Oxford and are expected to make smooth progress. The U’s are only 14th in the League One table and were beaten 2-0 at Kassam Stadium by Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup early on this season.
Leicester will take an injury-hit squad to Gillingham in the FA Cup but should surely still be too strong for the League Two basement dwellers. The Foxes lifted this trophy for the first time in 2021 and could do with a boost after three straight Premier League defeats.
Newcastle claimed the last of their six FA Cup triumphs way back in 1955 and Eddie Howe would no doubt love to end that drought this term. The Magpies start out by visiting Sheffield Wednesday in round three but may find this a tricky test against the in-form League One outfit.
In the New Year, we will witness one of the most celebrated milestones in the English football season: the third round of the FA Cup. This is the stage at which the 20 Premier League teams enter the world’s oldest national football competition.